When The Dust Settles
by clslovegood47
Summary: When Adrien Agreste goes missing, Ladybug sets out to find him; however, when she finds Chat Noir on her balcony, she is confronted with a much bigger problem.


Happy Birthday to my amazing friend, Luna! This is for you! I hope you enjoy some angsty fluff with some hurt/comfort thrown in.

I cross-post on AO3 and on Tumblr.

Tumblr: gryffindorcls  
AO3: clslovegood47

I own nothing but the plot.

* * *

Marinette's eyes flicked open. She groggily reached for her ringing phone and tapped the screen.

"Hello," she answered, her voice a scratchy whisper.

"_GIRL_," Alya yelled on the other line, "_I have been trying to call you for the past twenty minutes_!"

Pulling the phone away from her face, Marinette checked the time. "That's because it's one in the morning. I was asleep, and I didn't hear the phone."

Loud, incessant knocking sounded from the apartment below, causing Marinette to shake off her covers, climb down the ladder, and open the hatch on her floor. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes as the lights in her living room flicked on and her parents rushed to the door.

"_MARINETTE!_" her friend screamed on the other line, "_Are you still there? Please don't go back to sleep. This is really important._"

She once again put the phone against her ear. "Sorry! Someone was knocking on my door."

"_Yeah, that's probably Mr. Agreste_."

"What?"

"_Mr. Agreste has been knocking on all of our doors over the past hour. Apparently, he went to the hotel first. Then, he went to Nino's house, and then he came to mine. I guess he finally made it to your place._"

"Why would Mr. Agreste send Nathalie out to knock on all our doors in the middle of the night?"

"_He didn't send Nathalie. Well, she's with him, but he was there, too. In person._"

"That doesn't make any sense."

"_Marinette_, _I know you just woke up, but I need you to not freak out. Adrien is missing, and Mr. Agreste seems really distressed about it. He's been to all our houses asking if any of us have seen Adrien. I don't think this is like the time he ran away on Christmas two years ago. This feels different_."

"But Adrien wouldn't just disappear without…"

"_Without telling you where he was going. I know_."

"Something must really be wrong. He might be hurt or in trouble. Alya, this isn't like him!"

A sense of dread flooded Marinette's brain as she strained to hear the conversation happening below. The sound of muffled voices beneath her floorboards and the thought of Adrien alone in the cold brought tears to her eyes.

Frantic thoughts raced around her brain. "_Why didn't he come to me? He's my kitty. We're partners. We're supposed to trust each other_!"

One year ago, Marinette accidentally learned that Adrien was Chat Noir. It happened when he came to patrol while having an emotional breakdown. She remembers holding him close while he told her about the amazing girl who sat behind him in class. Earlier that day, he'd realized that he'd fallen in love with her, and when he went to tell her, he saw the girl at a cafe with another boy. He'd thought that he was too late.

When he uttered the name "Marinette" under his breath between sobs, she knew immediately who was beneath the mask. At the time, the memory of seeing her partner as Chat Blanc had been fresh in her mind, and she knew that an Akumatized Chat Noir would bring the world to its untimely demise. Without hesitation, she called him by his civilian name, allowed her transformation to melt away, and did her best to calm the boy who wept in her arms.

Even to this day, she can still recall the anguished cries and rushed apologies that came from his mouth before she'd been able to tell him that she wasn't dating Luka. After trying to move on from her crush on Adrien, she'd thought about trying to date Luka, but she quickly discovered that the love she felt for the musician was not romantic.

That night, Chat's sorrow quickly turned to joy when he'd learned that she and Luka had been meeting as two friends in the cafe earlier that day. He then detransformed and professed his love for her. Marinette's heart yearned to say yes and give into his declaration, but Chat Blanc's words rang in her ears like church bells on a clear summer day.

"_It was our love that did this to the world, my lady_."

With great difficulty, she explained to Adrien what she had seen when Bunnyx whisked her away to the bleak nightmarish future in which he'd been Akumatized. When she was finished, Marinette told him that she loved him, but she also told him that they had to wait until Hawkmoth's defeat before they could finally be together as a couple. To her surprise, Adrien agreed, and to her delight, he vowed to never leave her side.

Over the past year, Adrien had been true to his word. Whether it was at school, at her house, in the park, or on patrol, they spent every possible moment together. Outside the masks, they had become inseparable, and inside the masks, they had become unstoppable. Although they could not fully act upon their feelings for each other, Marinette could sense Adrien's unconditional love through every word he said and each action he performed. For a year, their closeness had been enough because it came with the hope of a brighter tomorrow.

Alya's worried tone broke Marinette out of her reverie. "_What's happening on your end?_"

She ran her fingers through her hair as she strained to hear the conversation between her parents and Mr. Agreste. "I'm not sure, but they're still talking. They haven't said anything to me yet."

"_So, you really don't know where he is_?"

"No, I don't."

"_Nino and I are going out to search for him. Let us know if you want to meet up_."

"Okay." Marinette choked back a sob. "Thanks for letting me know."

"_Oh, girl, please don't cry,_" Alya soothed, "_We'll find him. He's alright. We'll get him back to you in no time."_

"Yeah."

"_We will_."

"Thanks. I need to go now."

"_Marinette?_"

"Yes?"

"_You need to take care of yourself, as well. You know that right? Adrien wouldn't want you to get hurt or sick._"

Tears began to flow freely down her cheeks. "I love him, Alya."

Her friend sighed. "_I know. We'll get him back so you can tell him that in person. Okay?_"

"Okay."

"_I'll call you if we find anything._"

"Thanks."

"_Bye, Marinette. Please take care._"

"I will. Bye, Alya."

Marinette pressed the 'end call' button on her phone and climbed down the ladder into the room below. She stood on the landing and sniffled, causing the adults to turn their attention towards her. Sabine rushed to her side and pulled her into a tight embrace.

"Is it true?" she croaked, "Is he missing?"

"Yes, Miss Dupain-Cheng," Mr. Agreste replied, "My son seems to have run away. I'm trying to get to the bottom of it."

Her blood began to boil at the thought of all the times Gabriel hadn't paid attention to his son. When she and Adrien became closer after the reveal, her partner divulged all the details of his personal life. He told her _everything_.

Throughout the past year, Marinette had spent many nights feeling horrified by Adrien's stories. She always knew that Mr. Agreste was not exactly the warmest person, but she never thought that he could be so neglectful and manipulative. She was ashamed that she had ever considered the man her "idol", for she now knew that Gabriel was nothing more than a sorry excuse for a father and an all-around terrible human being.

Right now, something in her gut told her that his son's disappearance was all Mr. Agreste's fault. It had been the first time Adrien ran away, so why would this situation be any different?

She met Gabriel's gaze. "It must be serious if _you're_ out looking for him."

"_Marinette_," her mother scolded, pulling away from the hug.

"I'm just surprised. I didn't mean to be rude." Sabine shot her a stern look, and Marinette released an audible sigh. "I'm sorry, _sir_."

"Miss Dupain-Cheng," Gabriel said, pressing his glasses against the bridge of his nose, "I can assure you that the safety of my son is my priority."

Marinette looked down. "Of course, sir."

"You don't believe me."

"No, sir, I do. I know you love him."

"And I know _you_ love him, as well. Probably, just as much as he loves you."

Flurried thoughts flew through her brain as nervousness settled in her gut. "_He can't know that we're in love. No one knows. We never said anything. Alya is the first person I told._"

She swallowed against a dry throat. "He's a wonderful friend."

"I was once a teenager who found love. I know how much you two care for each other, and I know that he talks to you. His safety is paramount, so, please, if you hear anything, come to my office. I'll be expecting you." Mr. Agreste turned on his heel, walked towards the door, and paused before crossing the threshold. "I trust you'll make the right choice, Miss Dupain-Cheng. Goodnight."

With Nathalie trailing behind him, Gabriel walked out the door and disappeared into the hallway. As Marinette watched his departure, more tears threatened to fall.

"Oh, Marinette," Sabine said with outstretched arms, "Come here."

She happily re-entered her mother's embrace. "What if something happened to him?"

"He's going to be okay."

"I'm still worried."

"And you have every right to feel that way."

She pulled away from her mother. "I think I need some alone time."

Sabine smiled and brushed a stray hair away from Marinette's face. "Okay, sweetie. We'll be right here if you need us."

Marinette nodded, ascended the stairs, and closed the hatch behind her. She pressed her hands against her eyes, sunk to the floor, and cried.

"Adrien will turn up," Tikki said, landing on her shoulder, "He's tough, and he has Plagg. He may not show it all the time, but Plagg really cares about his holder. He would never let anything happen to him."

"I can't explain it." Marinette wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "I just know something is wrong. I have this feeling. My _chaton _would never leave without telling me where he was going. He'd never just leave me."

"I know, but you need to calm your thoughts. We can't risk having you get Akumatized."

"I can't wait until Hawkmoth is gone. Living in a world where being human turns you into a monster is a nightmare. That pile of trash wins every time someone is told that they can't get angry or sad."

"One day this will all be over."

"That day can't come soon enough. I would like to feel upset without the risk of being Akumatized. Wait!"

"Yes?"

"I don't want to say it."

"But it might be true."

"I know, but if Adrien gets Akumatized as Chat Noir, then it's all over. You, me, Paris...everything. And if it was just Adrien who had been Akumatized, then Plagg would have come here to tell us, and we haven't seen him all night."

"And you know that Adrien probably transformed before he left home."

"I just hope we're not too late." Marinette looked up at her Kwami. "Tikki, we have to go find him."

The tiny red being nodded. "Just say the words."

"TIKKI, SPOTS ON!"

Once transformed, Ladybug climbed up the ladder, hopped onto her bed, and leaped through the windowed hatch that led her balcony. She unsheathed her yo-yo and opened her communicator.

After tapping a few buttons, she waited for the call to connect. "Come on, kitty. Please pick-up."

"I'm right here, my lady," a small, familiar voice said next to her.

She whipped her head around and searched until her eyes landed on her partner hiding amongst the shadows. "Chat Noir?"

"Yes."

"Are you okay?"

"No."

Ladybug rushed to his side and pulled him close. "What are you doing out here?"

"I'm trying to not get Akumatized," he mumbled into her neck.

"What?"

"You told me how bad it was when you had to fight Chat Blanc. I came here to keep myself calm. I don't want you to have to fight me."

"Everyone has been worried sick!"

"I can't go home." Chat's entire body drooped in her arms.

She pressed her cheek against his. "It's freezing out here. I know the suits protect us, but you can't be comfortable. Why are you sitting alone in the cold?"

"Because just knowing that you're close by brings me peace. You're my rock, my world, my everything." His chest heaved. "Even though my life is falling apart, you're this constant force that keeps me from breaking. If I focus on you, then everything will be okay in the end."

"But why didn't you come inside? You're always welcome in my room."

"I know, but I wanted you to have one last peaceful sleep before everything changed. You deserve that."

"What are you talking about? Also, you know that my best nights are the ones where I fall asleep next to you."

"I'm sorry, my lady. I'm just struggling a little bit right now."

"Don't struggle alone. Come inside, and let me hold you. Then, when you're ready to talk, I will be here to listen."

Ladybug pulled Chat to his feet, and he followed her without protest. Once inside, he collapsed onto her bed, and she tugged a blanket over both of them.

She detransformed, pulled him close, wrapped her arms around him, and allowed Chat to rest his head against her chest. "You should give Plagg a break."

"Plagg, claws in," he mumbled, letting the blinding green light of his detransformation fill the room.

His Kwami zipped into view. "It's bad, pigtails. It's _really_ bad this time. This is probably one of the worst things that could have happened."

Marinette looked at the trembling boy in her arms. "Is he going to be okay?"

"One day, yes. Tonight, no. He's not going to be okay for a while."

"Is he hurt?"

"Physically he's fine, but emotionally...he's going to need you."

"Adrien, you know I'll always be here for you. No matter what happens, I will never leave your side. You made me that promise once, and you stayed true to your word. Now, it's my turn to return the favor."

He nodded. "I did that because I love you."

Her heart skipped a beat. "I love you, too, Adrien. I always have."

"And _he_ was the reason we couldn't be together."

"Who? Hawkmoth?"

"Yeah. Stupid Hawkmoth. Guess that's all going to change now...well, if you'll still let me date you, that is. You might hate me when this is all over."

"Adrien, I could never hate you. I lo...wait. Are you upset with Hawkmoth?"

"Oh, we're upset with Hawkmoth, alright," Plagg growled, "Just say the word, kid, and I'll take care of it."

"Plagg, no," Adrien whimpered, "We need to do it the right way...whatever that is."

Marinette's heart started to race. "Hold on. Does that mean you know who Hawkmoth is?"

"Please," he pleaded, "I just need a few more minutes where things are the same between us. _Please_."

"I…"

"_Please_. I need this. About two hours ago, my life was ruined. Please, Marinette. Can we just be us for a little while?" His voice began to crack while he spoke, "I promise I'll tell you everything. I just need a few minutes."

Marinette's heart broke at the sound of his voice. "Oh, _chaton_, come here."

"Thank you, my lady. I-I promise I'll…"

"I know...shhh. Take your time. I'll be here when you're ready."

As she held him, Marinette ran her fingers through Adrien's soft golden locks. Her shirt quickly became damp from her partner's quiet tears. When he shivered, she squeezed him even tighter.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

She rested her chin on the top of his head. "Why are you sorry? You didn't do anything wrong."

"I made you worry. I can tell you've been crying. I should have called you, but I thought I was making the right choice. Then again, I don't know what's right or wrong anymore."

"I don't want to push you before you're ready, but I really need to know. Who is Hawkmoth?"

"He's a monster."

"I know, but who is he?"

"Why don't you ask the man who I call 'father'?"

Marinette's blood froze upon hearing his implication. "I...what? No, you couldn't possibly mean...he...that's...I..."

Adrien sat up and held his legs against his chest. "Do you remember when Lila stole the Grimoire, and you were trying to figure out why my family had it? What if I told you that you should have listened to your instincts?"

"Your _dad_ is Hawkmoth? How? Why? Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"He was just here looking for you. Hawkmoth was inside my house?"

He scoffed. "My father was probably just making sure that I didn't tell anyone his secret."

Marinette did her best to control her breathing. "But how did you find out? Was it an accident?"

"No, he brought me into his office. He said that it was time for me to join him and that he wanted to tell me everything."

"But why is terrorizing Paris?"

"He's told me that he wants our family to be complete again. I think he wants to use our Miraculouses to find my mom."

"And it's really him?"

"Yup. I saw the Butterfly Miraculous, and I met Nooroo. He even showed me how to get into his lair."

"You saw his lair?"

"No, I left before he had the chance to finish explaining. I ran back to my room, transformed, and came here."

"Oh my God…"

"Marinette, I feel so lost." He began to cry again. "How am I supposed to live in that house knowing that monster is sleeping right down the hall?"

She paused for a moment before taking his hand and looking him in the eyes. "You don't."

"What do you mean 'I don't'? I'm his son. As much as I would like to, I can't just stay here forever."

"Adrien, you seem to be forgetting that we are Ladybug and Chat Noir. If there is anyone in this city who can take care of this problem, it's us."

He pulled his hands away and hugged himself. "You mean you want us to fight him? I don't know if I can do that."

She nodded. "If it comes to fighting, then, unfortunately, yes. He has to be stopped."

"I don't want to fight my dad."

"I know, but we can try and talk to him first. Maybe if he knows the truth, he'll be willing to work with us. Now that we know what he wants, we could help him come up with a better solution to find your mom. You're his son, and he loves you."

"I know he loves me, but I don't think my dad is exactly stable right now. When he sat me down, he kept talking about changing the past and erasing mistakes. I think he wants to mess with time. He thinks that he can do anything right now because when he changes the timeline, everything will be different. Paris will have never had a Hawkmoth, and none of us will remember any of this."

"He wants to change history?" Visions of Bunnyx begging for help and Chat dressed in white invaded her thoughts. "Time is a very delicate thing."

Adrien looked down. "From what you've told me, I know. I've had a few hours to think about this. You said that when I was Akumatized in the other timeline, I told you that everything went wrong when Hawkmoth found out. I'm starting to think that he figured out who I was and Akumatized me anyway. That means that he doesn't care what he does."

"We still have to try."

"How do we know it'll be different this time? I can't get Akumatized."

Marinette paused and allowed her mind to run through a dozen different scenarios. Her eyes scanned the room as she desperately searched for a solution. Her gaze eventually landed on the Miracle Box.

She reached out, lifted his chin with her index finger, and smiled. "It'll be different because this time we'll have help."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"When I fought Chat Blanc, I didn't see any of the other holders when I found the underwater statues. That means that we probably fought him alone."

"What does that mean for us now?"

"We need to distribute the Miraculouses to the other holders tonight. We will tell our allies to gather on top of the Arc de Triomphe before dawn and wait for our signal. Tomorrow morning, we will infiltrate Hawkmoth's lair and have Pegese transport the other holders to our location. Once that's done, we will confront your father."

"But how will we get into his lair without getting caught on the security cameras first? My dad has his office bugged, and I'm sure we want the element of surprise on our side."

"Didn't Max give you a program that could pause the image on the security cameras? He gave you that flash drive after you had that disastrous impromptu party two years ago?"

Adrien smacked his forehead. "You're right! He did. But how are we going to make sure that my dad goes down into his lair? People don't get Akumatized every day. It's only when he feels a _really_ powerful emotion. He ignores the smaller ones."

Marinette closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I can guarantee that there are going to be at least a half a dozen people who are going to be mad enough to get Akumatized, and they'll all be waiting on top of the Arc de Triomphe tomorrow morning."

"What?"

"All of those people are our friends. You don't know all of their identities yet, but they all know Adrien Agreste. Trust me, when they find out that your dad is Hawkmoth, they will be livid."

"Are they really going to be mad enough for my dad to want to send out a butterfly?"

"Yes."

"We have to do this, don't we?"

"Yes."

"I'm scared," he whispered.

"I know," she replied, "So am I, but we won't be alone. We can do this."

"I trust you, my lady."

Marinette climbed down the ladder, crossed her room, and grabbed the Miracle Box. When she returned to her bed, she handed Adrien several boxes, asked him to transform, wrote down her plan in his communicator, and sent him off to deliver his half of the Miraculouses.

Once Tikki was fed, Marinette transformed, grabbed the rest of the Miraculouses, hopped onto her balcony, and swung off into the night. One by one, she delivered each box to its respective holder and carefully explained her plan. She told each person that she would be sending Pegese a set of coordinates. He was to then look up the location, wait five minutes, and then transport the heroes into Hawkmoth's lair.

After two hours, she finally returned to her balcony. Unfortunately, the task took longer than she'd expected because Nino and Alya had still been running around the city looking for Adrien. When she detransformed, the bright pink light illuminated the tiny space, revealing a hunched figure sitting in the shadows.

"I knew you'd be back before me. Sorry, I should have called. Wait...why are you waiting outside?" Marinette pulled her partner to his feet.

"You weren't home," he mumbled.

"You're not even transformed! It's cold out here, Adrien!"

"I don't feel it."

"You and I both know that isn't true."

He sighed and walked away from her. "I detransformed so I could feed Plagg. I haven't fed him all day, and he's been surprisingly quiet about it. I was just waiting for you to come back so I could say goodnight."

Marinette crossed her arms. "Excuse me?"

"What?"

"You are _not _going home."

"We have to sleep. I can barely walk straight anymore."

"You're sleeping here."

His body straightened. "You...you still want to be near me? My father is a monster."

"But you're not." She moved towards him and took his hand. "You're my _chaton_, and I...I love you."

He squeezed her hand. "I love you, too, my lady. More than anything."

"Then follow me."

"Always."

She dragged him through the hatch and onto her bed. Marinette once again wrapped the two of them underneath her blanket and held him close.

"Marinette?" His voice sounded small.

She rubbed small circles on his back. "Yes?"

"Thank you."

"I will never leave you, Adrien."

They didn't speak again for the rest of the night. The only sound that Marinette could hear was the steady thumping of Adrien's heart as she snuggled further into his chest. She eventually fell into a light, restless sleep.

She awoke to the sound of her alarm piercing through the silence. The world was still dark, but the anticipation of what was to come made her feel unnaturally awake.

Adrien sat up and groaned. Seeing the puffiness around his eyes made Marinette reach out, place her hands on his cheeks, and place a gentle kiss on his forehead.

"We need to go," she said, pushing the hair away from his eyes.

He took a shaky breath. "Lead the way."

The duo transformed and climbed onto the balcony. In the distance, a brilliant sunrise was starting to take over the sky.

Ladybug and Chat Noir bounded across the rooftops until they reached the Agreste mansion. Once there, they slipped through Adrien's bedroom window and got to work. While Chat began activating Max's program, Ladybug sent a message to Rena Rouge. When she received confirmation that all the holders were assembled on top of the Arc de Triomphe, she turned to Chat.

"Are you almost finished?" she asked.

"Yeah. Luckily, he made this pretty user-friendly. I just need another minute." He clicked a few more things on his screen and got up from his desk chair. "Okay, we're all set."

"You're sure you remember how to get into your dad's lair?"

"That entire conversation has been burned into my mind. He showed me what to press on the painting and everything. I can get us in."

Chat Noir walked towards his bedroom door and beckoned for Ladybug to follow. Silently, they walked down the stairs and into his father's empty office. They padded across the room and stood before the towering portrait of Mrs. Agreste.

Ladybug watched in awe as Chat pressed in three tiles until an audible clink and hiss could be heard from the ground beneath them. She grabbed his hand as they slowly descended into the depths of the house.

A long clear tube lowered them into a cavernous room filled with trees and vaulted paths. When the elevator door opened, they tentatively stepped onto the metal bridge.

She scanned her surroundings "I can't believe this was beneath your house the entire time."

"Neither can I," he scoffed.

"This must stretch across the street. How much property does your father own?"

"Too much apparently."

Ladybug unsheathed her yo-yo, opened her communicator, and sent the lair's coordinates to Pegase. "Alright, our fellow holders are about to learn Hawkmoth's identity, so it's only a matter of time before your dad makes his way down here."

He nodded. "Okay."

"We shouldn't be out in the open when he comes down. Do you see any place for us to hide so we can catch him off guard?"

Chat looked around and pointed to something protruding from the ground in the distance. "Will that work?"

"Good eye, kitty. Let's go."

They carefully made their way across the expanse until they were confronted by the large metal canister that lay illuminated in the middle of a root system.

Chat circled the ornate cylinder. "My dad is so weird. What is this thing, and what does it have to do with him being Hawkmoth?"

"I have no idea." Ladybug ran her hand over the gold filigree.

"Honestly, none of this makes sense. How is any of this supposed to help him find my mom? I have so many questions."

"And you will have the chance to ask them when this is all over."

"I hope so because…"

Chat was cut off by the sound of metal sliding and locking into place. His eyes widened when they landed on the cannister's contents.

He slowly sunk to the ground, clutching his chest as an anguished howl passed over his lips.

"It's her," he wailed, "This is what he wanted to show me. She isn't lost. She was here the whole time, and she's gone!"

Ladybug got onto her knees, snaked her arms around her partner, and held him as sobs violently racked his body. "I'm so sorry."

"I'm losing everyone today. I'm losing my father. My mother is already gone."

"You never know. It looks like she may just be asleep. We could go to the Temple of the Guardians, and we could…"

"NO! It doesn't matter because when today is over, I will have no one. I will be alone." He dropped his voice to a pained whisper before continuing. "When this is over, I won't have a family anymore."

Ladybug's head snapped towards him. "What did you just say?"

"My mother is asleep in a metal coffin. My father has been terrorizing Paris for the past two years. When this is over, I'm going to have no one left."

Hurt flooded her chest as she pulled away from their embrace. "How _dare _you say that?"

"It's true!"

"No, it's not!"

"I WILL BE ALONE!"

"YOU WILL HAVE ME!"

They fell into a tense silence as her final words reverberated throughout the room. Her chest heaved as the lingering echoes of their altercation died in the cavernous space. Hot tears ran down her cheeks while she searched for the next thing to say.

"You will have me," she said quietly, once again pulling him into her arms, "Does my love mean nothing to you?"

He wept into her shoulder. "But everyone always leaves...no matter how much they love me."

"I won't. I will do everything in my power to stay right next to you. I meant it when I said I would never leave you."

"That's only if I can keep you safe."

"We will keep each other safe. We are a team, _chaton_."

"But what if we're separated?"

"Then we will find a way back to each other, just like we always do. We will always be together."

"We're not together. _He _kept us apart."

She shook her head. "No, we've always been together. You've always been my other half. We just had to wait a little while to show our love to the rest of the world."

He rested his forehead against hers. "But we didn't even express our feelings when we were alone. There was never an opportunity to show you how much I love you."

"You showed me your love by staying by my side."

"Fear was always standing in our way. It kept us apart."

"No, it kept us hidden. It kept us safe."

"I don't want to hide anymore, my lady."

"We don't have to, _mon minou_."

He choked back a sob. "We don't."

She pulled away and placed a hand on his cheek. "When the dust settles-when this fight is over-we _will _be together. We will be free to love each other. Are things going to get harder before they get easier? Yes, but I will be with you every step of the way. Adrien, we are going to have the most amazing life together. We're going to go on dates. We're going to be stupidly in love. And one day, we're both going to be a mess at our wedding. Alya and Nino are going to take videos of it and tease us with them for the rest of our lives. Then, when we have kids, we'll gross them out by kissing each other in the kitchen while we cook dinner. We will finally have the chance to just be us."

"You want to marry me?"

"One day, yeah."

"And you want to have kids?"

"Three."

He laughed through his tears. "Do they have names?"

She nodded. "Emma, Hugo, and Louis."

"I love them already."

"I love you, and you're going to be an amazing father one day."

"I didn't exactly have the best example."

"But he doesn't have your heart."

"No, but you do. My heart is, was, and forever shall be yours."

Ladybug's breath hitched. "Kiss me, my prince."

His lips brushed against hers. "As you wish, my lady."

Not wanting to wait any longer, she crashed her lips onto his. Her hands moved to the back of his head while his arms encircled her waist.

Like getting caught in the surge of a powerful wave, she was overcome by the passion he poured into the kiss; nonetheless, she found herself immediately addicted to his taste. She yielded under his touch and allowed herself to sink further into his embrace. Ladybug became putty in his arms when his hand pressed against her back, erasing the remaining space that separated them.

Years of longing and desperation melted away leaving nothing but the pure, radiating love they felt for each other. This moment was theirs, and nothing could take it away from them. While uncertainty still shrouded their future, she knew that they would always be able to find refuge in each other.

She was his other half.

He completed her.

Their hearts beat as one.

The whirring of the elevator forced them apart. Missing the warmth of his proximity, Ladybug huffed in frustration.

Chat chuckled. "When this is over, I'd like to do that again."

She placed her hand on his cheek and allowed him to lean into her touch. "You can do that again anytime you want, kitty."

Begrudgingly, Ladybug rose to her feet. Chat followed suit and grabbed her hand. They both unsheathed their weapons.

She squeezed his hand. "Are you ready for this, _chaton_?"

He took a deep breath. "As long as I'm with you, my lady."

"It's you and me against the world, remember?"

"Then, I'm ready."

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

Just as the elevator came to a halt, Pegase's portal sent a rush of fresh air into the room. A confident smirk tugged at the corners of Ladybug's lips as Gabriel Agreste stepped into his lair.

"Hello, Hawkmoth," she said, narrowing her eyes, "We've been expecting you.


End file.
